Lobophyllia is a genus of large polyp stony coral and, similar to Favia, it is also commonly called brain coral. Their distributen ranges from the Red Sea to the Indo-Pacific and they are also popular as pets in marine aquariums. There are many species like Lobophyllia corymbosa or Lobophyllia hemprichii, but they can usually only be distinguished by their skeleton, which requires dead animals. New taxonomic studies have not stopped at Lobophyllia either, and for example the former species Lobophyllia pachysepta has now been reclassified as Acanthastrea pachysepta, while Australomussa rowleyensis has found a new home here as Lobophyllia rowleyensis. Notably, the distinction from Symphyllia is also not straightforward and often causes confusion. Common colorations in Lobophyllia are mainly orange, sometimes with pink or green inside, or multicolored 'Rainbow' colorations with green, red and purple.
Lobophyllia have large, very fleshy polyps that usually have more or less separated walls and grow labello-meandroid - in lobes, brain-like. They usually have multiple mouths. Care should be taken because they can often sting powerfully and can sometimes expand widely. Therefore one should keep a proper distance to other corals - also to other Lobophyllia, because even animals that look alike can come from other species and then be stung.
No great demands are made on the water quality, higher nutrient values are even appreciated. One should be careful with the lighting, because the corals can burn with too intense light and then bleach out.
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